Freshly Minted
In old Victorian neighborhoods, seek out the hose bib and you will find mint. Here, where the rusting pipes leak, the ground is perennially moist beneath the shade of aged trees and shrubs. This is where mint thrives, whether it’s of the old species or new hybrids.
Once, deep in a Sierra Nevada forest, I found a clearing where mint had been introduced a long time ago, likely by a California Gold Rush miner. Though his cabin is long gone, his mint remained to mark the homestead. It had spread out to naturalize into the low damp ground fed by a spring. There it naturalized, forcing out native species within the pine forest.
This example taught me a great deal about mint plants. They make tough ground cover that doubles as an edible plant. Their preference is for light, filtered shade. A single parent plant has the potential to become invasive, both in gardens and the wild. They are also incredibly cold-hardy, surviving as low as USDA Zone 3.
I harvested a basket full of that mint to make a sauce at home. Consequently, I discovered the square stems that are the distinguishing characteristic of these plants. Though they can be dried and stored for mint tea, the young, tender sprigs are highly valued when they are freshly picked. That is how Southerners use them for the classic mint julep. Cubans do the same with their delicious rum drink, the mojito. Mint sauce or jelly can be made at home for the traditional Easter leg of lamb.
All mints are classified in the genus Mentha, which includes about 17 species and many hybrids. Some say there are up to 600 different forms of this popular herb. Be aware that some are not edible. Mentha pulegium, also called fleabane, is the most well-known of these. Its oils are effective repellents of fleas and other small insect pests that plague both people and pets. Grow this one to dry and stuff into your dog’s bed to keep fleas at bay. Make sachets to tuck into your drawers for an organic solution to ward off moths and pantry weevils.
The most popular culinary mint types for tea are peppermint, Mentha x piperita and spearmint (Mentha spicata). Their hybrids are chameleons, though, for mints have been bred to offer other aromatic flavors, such as pineapple, orange, chocolate, lavender, grapefruit, basil, ginger and licorice.
As garden plants, mints are long-lived herbaceous perennials. The plant dies back to the ground during winter and then returns in the spring from the roots. It develops matlike masses of roots over time that spread into sizable colonies.
Mints like to travel, which is the key to their invasiveness. The stems known as stolons wander both above ground and below, striking roots as they go. Each rooted point can be easily dug up to become a new plant. It’s easy for beginners to find the rooted point and then sever the stolon before and after. Dig up the roots with a nice ball of undisturbed soil attached, and then transplant into a pot or directly into the new location. This ease of propagation makes mints appealing to small-budget gardeners who can pick up free cuttings from established plants at old homes or gardens of friends and family. They also make great gift plants for fellow gardeners.
There are many types of mint available online from commercial growers. For foodies, shade gardeners or herb lovers looking for more variety than just the ordinary mints, visit Mountain Valley Growers at mountain
valleygrowers.com. It offers 16 varieties, including those versatile chameleons. The site also offers useful videos that demonstrate how to plant and grow mints, plus helpful recipes.
Add mint to your garden this spring for a refreshing sip of nature.
Maureen Gilmer is an author, horticulturist and landscape designer. Learn more at www.MoPlants.com. Contact her at mogilmer@yahoo.com or P.O. Box 891, Morongo Valley, CA 92256.
